Written Answers Tuesday 8 February 2005

Scottish Executive

Bridges

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates the settlement date will be for the cost of repairs to the Erskine Bridge following the damage inflicted by an offshore structure.

Nicol Stephen: A debate on the parties’ pleadings will take place on 27 to 30 September 2005. The issue of liability and quantum of damages will be determined by the court if the parties are unable to reach agreement on these issues. It would, of course, be possible for the parties to reach an out of court settlement and the Scottish Executive would give careful consideration to any proposals for settlement put forward by the defenders or third parties.

Bridges

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an explanation has been obtained from legal advisers concerning the length of time it is taking to recover the costs of repairing the damage to the Erskine Bridge caused by an offshore structure.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive’s legal advisers have advised that the speed of the litigation has been a product of the number of parties to the proceedings, the complexity of the pleadings and the difficulty in obtaining an early date at which the various parties’ counsel were all available.

Broadcasting

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of its submissions to Ofcom’s review into public service broadcasting, including the dates on which the submissions were made.

Patricia Ferguson: Broadcasting is a reserved matter. We submitted a response to phase one of Ofcom’s review of public service broadcasting (PSB) in July 2004. This submission is publicly available on the PSB Phase 1 consultation responses page on Ofcom’s website at www.ofcom.org.uk .

Broadcasting

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it requested with Ofcom to discuss the implications of Ofcom’s current review of public service broadcasting.

Patricia Ferguson: Although broadcasting is a reserved matter, we engage regularly with Ofcom to discuss different aspects of broadcasting in Scotland, including the review of public service broadcasting.

Broadcasting

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for television production in all areas of Scotland.

Patricia Ferguson: We are committed to developing Scotland as a production centre for film, TV and new media and as a location for film-making; to encouraging and promoting wider creative industries, and to supporting the promotion of Scottish films and TV programmes overseas.

  Our support for the film and TV production industries, and to the wider creative industries, is channelled through Scottish Screen, Scottish Enterprise, and the Scottish Arts Council, who deliver a variety of funding schemes and infrastructure development.

  Although broadcasting itself is a reserved matter, we established the Screen Industries Summit Group (SISG) in 2003 to help orient the Scottish Executive’s strategy for Scotland’s film and television industry. SISG brings together representatives from across the screen industries including Scottish Screen, the BBC, Scottish Media Group (SMG), and the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT). SISG was established to report to Scottish ministers. It has acted as a high-level task group to make recommendations on the key actions needed to ensure growth and sustainability for the screen industries in Scotland. SISG identified the increase in network commissioning and production in Scotland from its current 3% level to a target level of 9% within five years as the key action point for the future growth and sustainability of the screen industries in Scotland. We fully support this recommendation and we are working with SISG to encourage the broadcasters to increase production in Scotland.

  We regularly engage with Ofcom to support the interests of the Scottish television industry. In addition, we are working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in order to ensure that proper account is taken by the UK Government of Scottish interests in the BBC Charter Review.

Broadcasting

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met representatives of BBC Scotland to discuss the recent outcome of the BBC review and its impact on BBC Scotland.

Patricia Ferguson: Although broadcasting is a reserved matter, we engage regularly with BBC Scotland to discuss a variety of broadcasting issues. My officials last met with Senior Managers at BBC Scotland on 21 January 2005.

Children's Panels

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invite the Commissioner for Children and Young People to monitor the differences in the outcomes of residential and community-based disposals by children’s panels, tracking any local variations.

Euan Robson: The Review of the Children’s Hearings system has identified the need to put robust monitoring and evaluation procedures in place, including procedures to evaluate the outcomes of different disposals. The Scottish Executive will therefore be considering with local partner agencies how we can best deliver monitoring and evaluation procedures. Consideration will be assisted by Scottish Executive commissioned research intended to inform decision-making about the most effective use of secure accommodation. The research aims to provide a clearer understanding of the purpose and effectiveness of secure care in meeting the needs of young people, their families and communities. The project’s two interim reports will be published on the Scottish Executive website within the next few weeks.

Children's Panels

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the impact of the different outcomes of disposals by children’s panels on social work provision and the impact of different disposals on local authority budgets.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission research into the differences in the outcomes of residential and community-based disposals by children’s panels, tracking any local variations.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive’s main concern is that decisions made by Children’s Hearings result in positive outcomes for the child. Children’s Hearings need a range of disposals to meet the needs of individual children. Different disposals require different resources. Each disposal must be right for the child.

Community Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in establishing a community planning partnership in East Dunbartonshire and how the arrangements being put in place will ensure that the community is appropriately represented.

Mr Tom McCabe: East Dunbartonshire Council is required to initiate, facilitate and maintain a process of community planning, in which all relevant public, private, voluntary and community bodies in the area should participate. This duty is established under section 15 of the Local Government in Scotland Act (2003) ("the Act").

  Effective and genuine engagement of communities is at the heart of community planning. It must involve consultation, co-operation and participation. The local authority is responsible for facilitating this process. The Executive supports local authorities and their partners across the public sector in meeting their statutory duties in relation to community planning, in accordance with Ministers’ statutory duty to promote and encourage the process of community planning.

  Local authorities, as facilitators of the community planning process, are required to report regularly to their communities on community planning in their area. Reports should be geared towards the needs of the local community. Although such reports are not required to be submitted to the Scottish Executive, reports must demonstrate clearly how the local authority has implemented its duties under section 15 of the Act, including reporting on the means of consulting community bodies (and other public bodies) and a summary of the outcomes of such consultation.

  In addition, the Accounts Commission for Scotland is required to audit councils’ achievements in relation to their statutory duties under the Act – including those in relation to community planning – by means of cyclical Best Value audits.

  Further details are available as part of the community planning statutory guidance: www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/localgov/cpsg-00.asp.

Congestion Charging

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the referendum on congestion charging in Edinburgh should be postponed pending the outcome of the on-going legal proceedings.

Nicol Stephen: We are aware of the on-going judicial review action but the Scottish Executive is not a party to that action. This is a matter for the local authorities concerned and the court.

Dentistry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to help NHS Grampian reduce waiting times for orthodontic treatment and fill consultant orthodontist vacancies.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are confident that NHS Grampian is taking active steps to improve its orthodontics service. The board has not asked for help in this but the Executive stands ready should such help be sought.

  At present the board is recruiting two permanent consultants and will provide interim services using locum consultants. Additional treatment sessions are being run to ensure that urgent cases are seen almost immediately and to provide continuity of treatment where this has already started.

  NHS Grampian is about to engage an independent company to assess 140 patients in February.

Dentistry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist NHS orthodontic practitioners per capita there are in each NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: Current centrally-held data on orthodontic staff is correct to 30 September 2003.

  Information on NHS orthodontic practitioners within hospital and community health service (HCHS) and general dental practice in NHSScotland as at 30 September 2004 will be published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce on 10 February 2005.

Drug Misuse

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11803 by Hugh Henry on 14 January 2005, what information was used to justify the comment in Review of Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services: Summary and Actions that "waiting times remain unacceptably high in some parts of Scotland".

Hugh Henry: Concerns about long waiting times in some parts of Scotland contributed to the Partnership Agreement commitment to review drug treatment and rehabilitation services. Respondents to the review told us that waiting times were unacceptably high in some areas. This has been confirmed by the national waiting times information framework which we established in April 2004.

  The first set of provisional reports from the information available is shown on the Drug Misuse Information Scotland website at http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/wtpilot/waiting.htm.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been admitted to each hospital in each NHS board area for (a) drug-related and (b) alcohol-related conditions in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of all children’s admissions in each case.

Hugh Henry: Information on the number of children (aged under 16) discharged, with an alcohol related or drug misuse diagnosis from acute hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units is presented by NHS board area of residence in table 1 and table 2. Information for 2003-04 is provisional.

  Provision of this information for each hospital would involve very small numbers in each case, and could potentially identify individuals.

  Table 1

  Scottish Hospitals Discharge Records For Children Aged Under 16 with an Explicit Diagnosis of Alcohol Related Conditions by Area of Residence; 1999-2000 to 2003-04

  

Area of Residence
Discharge Period


Number
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Total
837
841
805
726
625


Argyll and Clyde
86
84
63
54
47


Ayrshire and Arran
99
84
98
107
92


Borders
23
24
28
36
27


Dumfries and Galloway
26
29
19
15
13


Fife
49
47
45
39
38


Forth Valley
32
33
26
29
29


Grampian
119
125
108
101
98


Greater Glasgow
114
116
119
86
45


Highland
46
62
56
56
58


Lanark
80
56
75
64
53


Lothian
73
65
74
53
46


Orkney
6
8
8
8
6


Shetland
6
5
4
6
6


Tayside
69
80
62
49
31


Western Isles
2
15
14
15
24


Scotland
830
833
799
718
613


Other/Not Known
7
8
6
8
12


Percentage of All Discharges
 


Total
0.7
0.8
0.7
0.7
0.6


Argyll and Clyde
0.9
0.9
0.7
0.6
0.5


Ayrshire and Arran
1.0
0.9
1.1
1.2
1.0


Borders
0.9
1.0
1.2
1.6
1.2


Dumfries and Galloway
0.8
0.8
0.6
0.5
0.5


Fife
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.5


Forth Valley
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.5


Grampian
1.0
1.1
1.0
1.0
0.9


Greater Glasgow
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.3


Highland
1.0
1.6
1.4
1.3
1.2


Lanark
0.6
0.5
0.6
0.5
0.4


Lothian
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.3
0.3


Orkney
1.9
2.7
2.8
2.9
1.7


Shetland
1.2
1.1
0.8
1.2
1.2


Tayside
0.8
0.9
0.7
0.6
0.3


Western Isles
0.4
3.0
3.0
2.8
4.0


Scotland
0.7
0.8
0.7
0.7
0.6


Other/Not Known
0.7
0.9
0.6
0.8
1.3



  Notes:

  1. Includes acute hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units (excludes maternity hospitals).

  2. Information on hospital discharges relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care rather than individual patients. Transfer cases have been included. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years) and will be counted each time in the table.

  Table 2

  Scottish Hospitals Discharge Records For Children Aged Under 16 with an Explicit Diagnosis of Drug Misuse by Area of Residence; 1999-2000 to 2003-04

  

Area of Residence
Discharge Period


Number
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Total
49
58
79
57
48


Argyll and Clyde
6
10
9
3
2


Ayrshire and Arran
10
8
21
9
8


Borders
4
-
2
2
5


Dumfries and Galloway
1
3
-
1
-


Fife
-
3
5
3
8


Forth Valley
-
1
2
2
1


Grampian
7
3
4
7
3


Greater Glasgow
6
9
18
14
6


Highland
2
2
2
-
1


Lanark
4
8
2
2
6


Lothian
5
7
10
8
4


Orkney
-
-
-
-
-


Shetland
-
-
-
1
-


Tayside
2
3
3
3
3


Western Isles
-
-
-
2
1


Scotland
47
57
78
57
48


Other/Not Known
2
1
1
-
-


Percentage of All Discharges
 


Total
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0


Argyll and Clyde
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0


Ayrshire and Arran
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.1


Borders
0.2
-
0.1
0.1
0.2


Dumfries and Galloway
0.0
0.1
-
0.0
-


Fife
-
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.1


Forth Valley
-
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0


Grampian
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0


Greater Glasgow
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0


Highland
0.0
0.1
0.1
-
0.0


Lanark
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0


Lothian
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.0


Orkney
-
-
-
-
-


Shetland
-
-
-
0.2
-


Tayside
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0


Western Isles
-
-
-
0.4
0.2


Scotland
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0


Other/Not Known
0.2
0.1
0.1
-
-



  Notes:

  1. Includes acute hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units (excludes maternity hospitals).

  2. Information on hospital discharges relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care rather than individual patients. Transfer cases have been included. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years) and will be counted each time in the table.

Environment

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will call for an inquiry into the location of toxic waste dumps in the east end and south of Glasgow.

Johann Lamont: We have no current plans to call for such an inquiry.

Environment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13424 by Ross Finnie on 20 January 2005, how many complaints have been received by each local authority about excess packaging in each year since the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 came into force.

Ross Finnie: The Executive does not collate that data. The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 are regulations of the United Kingdom Government and relate to reserved matters.

Environment

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what reports it has received from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the radioactive lime scale particles near the discharge outfall at the Chapelcross nuclear site and whether it will place any reports in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the radioactivity levels were of the 21 lime scale particles found at the outfall at Chapelcross during 2003.

Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

  Results of its monitoring programme are published in the joint report with the Food Standards Agency, Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE). A copy is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34135). The RIFE report makes reference to particles found and recovered at the end of the discharge pipeline on the Chapelcross site. Most recently, RIFE 9 reports on page 101 that 21 of these particles were found in 2003. The report explains that the particles have been removed and gives details of the activities planned to tackle the cause of this problem. Monitoring will continue.

  The Scottish Executive asked SEPA for details of the radioactivity limits of the 21 lime scale particles. This information is shown in the following table. The activity in the particles is predominately due to Caesium 137. The dose rate given is a contact beta gamma dose rate.

  Items with Activity above Background found at Seafield Pipeline Outfall

  

Month (2003)
No of Items
Min Counts per Second
Maximum Counts per Second
Highest Dose Rate Micro Sieverts per Hour (mSv/hr)


January 
0
 
 
 


February
14
20
105
4.0


March
3
30
82
4.0


April
0
 
 
 


May
0
 
 
 


June
0
 
 
 


July
4
66
247
4.0


August
0
 
 
 


September
0
 
 
 


October 
0
 
 
 


November
0
 
 
 


December
0

Food Safety

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum safe limit is for human consumption of residues of emamectin benzoate (SLICE) in the flesh of farmed Scottish salmon.

Rhona Brankin: The European Commission’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) evaluated the safety of emamectin in January 1999. It set an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 1µg/kg bodyweight/day. The ADI is defined as "an estimate of the amount of a substance, expressed on a bodyweight basis that can be ingested over a lifetime without appreciable health risk".

  The CVMP also set a Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for emamectin in salmon (muscle and skin in natural proportions) of 100µg/kg. The MRL is defined as the maximum concentration of a residue that is legally permitted or acceptable in or on a food. As long as a food contains residues of emamectin either at or below, the MRL, the ADI will not be exceeded.

  A person eating a standard 300g portion of salmon containing residues of emamectin at the MRL would ingest approximately 30µg of emamectin – an amount smaller than the ADI.

Food Safety

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants’ consultation on proposed guideline levels for radionuclides in foods for use in international trade and, if so, whether it will place the response in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Ross Finnie: No. There was no need for the Scottish Executive to respond to the consultation carried out by the Food Standards Agency on the CODEX Committee proposals.

  The Food Standards Agency is representing the United Kingdom in negotiating those CODEX proposals on radionuclides in foods and its consultation document made clear what were the concerns to the UK and to the Scottish Executive.

Football

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what major international or club football matches it intends to bid to host; who is involved in any such bidding process, and what funds or resources are being made available.

Patricia Ferguson: Any bids for specific football events are a matter for the Scottish Football Association (SFA) in the first instance. However, the Executive approached the Federation Internationale De Football Association (FIFA) in December 2004 about the possibility of Scotland hosting a future FIFA Club World Championship. FIFA originally responded positively, indicating that they would invite their member associations, including the SFA, to bid for the 2007 Championship in due course. Whilst we understand that FIFA has more recently indicated that a European host for the 2007 event would not now be considered, not least due to the amount of club football already played in Europe, that does not rule out a bid to host the Championship post 2007.

  The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) recently wrote to its members associations inviting expressions of interest in making a bid to host the European Football Championships in 2012. The SFA has however concluded that its main priority over the next 10 years is "Many Players One Goal", the Action Plan for Scottish youth football. Separately, however, the SFA has bid to UEFA to host future UEFA Champions League Finals and UEFA Cup Finals at Hampden Park.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been made available to local authorities to implement the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has provided extensive guidance and support to all Scottish public authorities including the provision of a fully adaptable training package. It has not provided specific additional resources to local authorities as records management and the provision of information are already part of the general responsibilities of any local authority.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training has been made available to local authority staff to implement the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Ms Margaret Curran: It is the responsibility of each Scottish public authority to ensure that their staff are trained appropriately. However, the Scottish Executive has provided an adaptable learning package which was made available to the entire Scottish public sector at no charge and has also issued extensive guidance. Its Freedom of Information Unit has assisted the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner in a series of regional seminars and has provided an extensive series of workshops and seminars on request.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific plans it has to reduce health inequalities.

Mr Andy Kerr: Action on health inequalities is central to our health improvement strategy and we have set ambitious targets in Building a Better Scotland , and Closing the Opportunity Gap , to increase the rate of health improvement for the most deprived communities by 15% by 2008, measured across a range of key indicators.

  NHSScotland has a key role to play in this and we are preparing guidance to support NHS boards in stepping up the rate of change. Community Health Partnerships, which will have tackling health inequalities as a central aim, offer a new opportunity for focused action at local level to make a difference. £15 million invested in Unmet Needs projects is helping to improve access to health care for those in Scotland’s most deprived communities and will inform and underpin future practice throughout NHS Scotland. The £1 million per annum support for the Glasgow Centre for Population Health will help create solutions and provide leadership for action to improve health and tackle health inequalities in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, and more widely. Our decision to improve public health through the banning of smoking in public places presents the greatest opportunity in decades to reduce health inequalities and will make a major contribution, given the greatest burden of smoking and ill-health is amongst Scotland’s most deprived communities.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider linking the application of the deprivation criteria in the Arbuthnott formula to successful outcomes in reducing health inequalities.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no plans to link the deprivation criteria in Arbuthnott to successful health outcomes in reducing health inequalities. The formula is about distributing resources on the basis of need by taking into account levels of deprivation across health boards.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what indicators it uses to measure health inequalities and how outcomes have changed in respect of these indicators in the last three years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive uses 23 indicators to monitor trends in health inequalities in Scotland. These indicators were set out in Improving Health in Scotland – The Challenge (2003) and are listed below for information:

  

Population Group
Indicator of Inequality


Children
1. Smoking during pregnancy
2. Breastfeeding
3. Dental health of children
4. Low birthweight babies
5. Accidents in children aged 0-9 (hospital admissions)
6. Infant mortality 


Young People1
7. Accidents in children aged 10-14 (hospital admissions)
8. Teenage pregnancies (females aged 13-15)
9. Teenage pregnancies (females aged 13-19)
10. Suicides among young people aged 10-24


Adults2
11a. Diet – consumption of fresh fruit
11b. Diet – consumption of green vegetables
12. Adult smoking
13a. Self-reported general health in people aged 16-44
13b Self-reported general health in people aged 45-64
14. Self-reported limiting long-standing illness
15. Obesity
16. Mental health (GHQ12 scores)
17. All cause mortality rate among people under 75
18. Mortality rates from coronary heart disease among people under 75
19. Mortality rates from cancer among people under 75
20. Life expectancy at birth


Older People
21. All cause mortality rate among people over 75. 
22. Mortality rates from coronary heart disease among people 75 and over
23. Mortality rates from cancer among people 75 and over



  Trends on Health Inequalities within Scotland for all these indicators were published in March 2004, in a Scottish Executive report entitled: Inequalities in Health – Report of the Measuring Inequalities Working Group. A copy of this report is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/hirnov03.pdf.

  Health Inequalities in Scotland are measured by comparing outcomes of the 20% most deprived postcode sector areas with the 20% most affluent, defined by the Carstairs Index of Deprivation. (Work is underway to convert the health inequalities measure to the new Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation).

  The Scottish Executive uses five indicators to monitor trends of health inequalities within NHS boards. This is done by comparing outcomes of the 20% most deprived postcode sector areas within each NHS board with the 20% most affluent. The five indicators used for this purpose are listed below:

  

Population Group
Indicator of Inequality


Children
1. Smoking during pregnancy
2. Dental health of children


Adults
3. Adult smoking
4. Mortality rates from coronary heart disease among people under 75
5. Life expectancy at birth



  Recent data and trends for each of these indicators, by NHS board, is available via the NHS Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) system, under section 1.14, at:

  http://paf.isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk/pafn/.

  Further information on health outcomes by NHS board is available via the PAF system or via the website of the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/.

Hepatitis

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the recommendations made by the expert group chaired by Lord Ross on the provision of support to patients who have suffered harm as a result of NHS treatment, including blood-borne infections acquired from contaminated blood products, and what action it has taken in respect of each recommendation.

Mr Andy Kerr: The recommendations of the expert group and details of the actions taken in response to each are as follows:

  Recommendation 1

  The Scottish Executive should agree to make compensation payments as a matter of urgency to all people who can demonstrate, on the balance of probabilities, that they received blood, blood products or tissue from the NHS in Scotland before the dates when they were made HCV-safe and who were subsequently found to be infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV).

  A UK ex-gratia payment scheme has been established. The Skipton Fund, which administers the scheme and started operations on 5 July 2004, has to date settled over 400 Scottish claims amounting to around £8.5 million. Details of the scheme are available at www.skiptonfund.org.

  Recommendation 2

  The Scottish Executive should consider how it could fund and develop other mechanisms for supporting people who suffer from HCV including services delivered by voluntary organisations. In particular, additional support in the following areas should be considered:

  (a) Access to understandable information on HCV

  (b) Counselling Services

  (c) Access to information on benefits available

  (d) Advice and assistance in securing appropriate and adequate assurance and insurance

  (e) Setting up a pro-active publicity campaign spearheaded by the Health Education Board for Scotland.

  (f) Improved access to palliative care and symptom management services when appropriate.

  Since 2002, the Executive has also funded the establishment and on-going activities of the UK Hepatitis C Resource Centre in Scotland which is based in Glasgow and offers advice on testing and treatment to those affected by hepatitis C. The services provided by Hepatitis C Resource Centre are in addition to those provided by individual NHS boards.

  The Scottish Executive has commissioned Health Protection Scotland to estimate the current and future burden of HCV-related disease in Scotland over the next two decades. Further work is also being commissioned to identify how much it will cost NHSScotland to care for individuals infected with hepatitis C and how cost-effective different approaches to hepatitis C case finding and treatment would be.

  The Executive is also developing an action plan, in consultation with stakeholders, for issue in spring 2005. The main objectives of the plan are to set out the actions that will (a) reduce the transmission of HCV and (b) manage the burden of disease among those individuals who know they are infected and those who do not. Key areas of the plan will cover treatment and care and education and training.

  The Health Department is working with clinicians to develop Managed Clinical Networks for Hepatitis C. A further meeting in February is proposed.

  Recommendation 3

  The Scottish Executive should invite the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) to consider the following:

  (a) Proceeding with the development of the template on Advice and Assistance as soon as possible;

  (b) Including in the template provision for meeting/negotiation with the defender;

  (c) Including in the template provision for class actions as well as individual clinical negligence cases;

  (d) Updating the guidelines to the profession;

  (e) Introducing an "interests of justice" test for civil legal aid applications in clinical negligence cases, and

  (f) Proceeding towards the making of staged payments.

  Reform of Civil Advice and Assistance is the subject of recent SE consultation procedures- available from the Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/justice. This consultation deals with proposals for granting and providing civil advice and assistance, as well as remuneration of practitioners. Templates to deal with different types of cases following the Consultation procedures are to be drawn up as part of this process by SLAB.

  Recommendation 4

  (a) That the Scottish Executive should consider including the following in their revision of the NHS complaints procedure: better training for complaints/claims handling staff; more accessible information for complainants and claimants in clinical cases; more emphasis on face to face or telephone contact to clarify points not clearly expressed; increased support or advocacy for complainants and claimants in the early stages to prevent complaints escalating and to enable complaints to be dealt with appropriately.

  (b) The Scottish Executive should consider encouraging NHS trusts and boards to use their power to make ex-gratia payments under the NHS complaints procedure in respect of "lesser injuries".

  The Executive has taken all of these points into consideration in devising the new procedure, which it is hoped will be issued within the next few months. The new complaints procedure will place more emphasis on early resolution of complaints with more face to face contacts where appropriate. The Health Rights Information Scotland project (part of the Scottish Consumer Council) will provide a leaflet with information that they consider patients need and will consider in what ways this should be made accessible.

  The power to make ex-gratia payments remains an option for consideration by individual NHS boards on completion of investigations under the complaints procedure. Details can be found at: http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/publications/me/complaints/CHS/Section2/020_180CompletionOfTheComplaintsProcedure.htm.

  (a) We endorse the recommendation made by the Royal Society of Edinburgh in their Report "Encouraging Resolution - Mediating patient/health service disputes in Scotland", that the Scottish Executive should, in conjunction with the National Health Service Scotland Central Legal Office (CLO), undertake a fully researched mediation project mirroring that being undertaken by the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) in England.

  A working group with representation from the Executive’s Health and Justice Departments, Central Legal Office, an NHS Board Medical Director, the Medical and Dental Defence Union in Scotland and Edinburgh University was set up to take this recommendation forward and the group is currently finalising a specification for a fully researched project in resolving clinical negligence claims through mediation. The project is expected to run for a period of three years from 1 April 2005.

  (b) The Scottish Executive should consider making initial funding available for Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) to open a Scottish branch.

  The Executive (Health Department) is currently working with AvMA on a funding proposal to develop AvMA's presence in Scotland.

  (c) The Scottish Executive should invite the Law Society and the Scottish Legal Aid Board to consider increasing the level of fees to solicitors in civil business to enable them to pursue clinical negligence cases and also to enable increased expenditure to be available for payment of outlays in relation to reports, e.g. medical reports.

  An interim 5% increase was made to fees in civil advice in June 2004. This would affect clinical negligence type cases as well as any other type of civil aid case that required to be legally funded subject to the usual tests of probable cause and appropriate to receive legal aid on eligibility grounds.

  (d) The Scottish Executive should draw the attention of the Lord President of the Court of Session to the need for implementation of judicial management procedures for complex clinical negligence cases.

  Enquiries are being made to establish the current position.

  (e) The Scottish Executive should encourage the Central Legal Office to continue and develop its practice of offering structured settlements early in the negotiating process.

  A number of settlements have been reached on a structured basis, and the Central Legal Office will continue to encourage this process in appropriate cases.

  I will write to you separately when enquiries have been completed on 4(f) and will place a copy of my response in the Parliaments Reference Centre.

Homelessness

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will carry out a review of progress towards meeting its target that, by 2012, permanent accommodation will be available for all applicants deemed unintentionally homeless.

Malcolm Chisholm: We remain committed to meeting this target. As required by the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003, we will consult on and publish a statement later this year which will set out the steps which we and local authorities have taken, and will take in the future, to ensure the target is met. This statement will draw on official statistics and reviews of progress reported by local authorities.

  We have also commissioned research on the abolition of priority need, and the modification of local connection, which will be published this month. This has been considered by the Homelessness Monitoring Group which will continue to advise ministers on the timing of, and arrangements for, the implementation of the 2003 act.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes purchased under right to buy currently house tenants in receipt of housing benefit, broken down by local authority area.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases there have been of tenants exercising the right to buy on more than one occasion.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have applied for pressured area status; when each such application was made, and when a decision on each application will be given.

Malcolm Chisholm: One local authority, South Ayrshire Council, has applied for designation of housing areas as pressured under section 45 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

  The application was made on 14 October 2004, but further information is required from South Ayrshire Council before a decision on the application can be made.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) lowest, (b) highest and (c) average discount is that has been granted to tenants who purchased their home through right to buy *in each local authority area*, expressed in monetary terms.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table contains the minimum, maximum and mean discounts granted between 1979 quarter 2 and 2004 quarter 2, to tenants who purchased their home through right to buy, broken down by local authority. Data are at 2004 prices.

  Discounts Granted to Tenants Purchasing their Home Through Right to Buy – 2004 Prices.

  

Local Authority Area
Right to Buy (Old terms)
Right to Buy (Modernised)


Mean
(£)
Minimum (£)
Maximum (£)
Mean (£)
Minimum (£)
Maximum (£)


Scotland
22,345
23
150,904
16,287
8,111
34,340


Aberdeen City
27,212
61
74,511
18,034
15,450
27,027


Aberdeenshire
20,794
1,467
62,161
11,188
9,455
13,248


Angus
19,947
4,346
43,537
10,786
10,758
10,815


Argyll and Bute
22,358
3,669
50,262
 
 
 


Clackmannanshire
22,104
825
50,556
 
 
 


Dumfries and Galloway
18,492
220
41,721
10,519
9,910
11,129


Dundee City
21,765
1,542
49,044
13,990
13,990
13,990


East Ayrshire
18,543
3,093
51,510
 
 
 


East Dunbartonshire
26,053
1,509
105,987
 
 
 


East Lothian
26,691
843
80,842
15,898
15,898
15,898


East Renfrewshire
24,455
1,937
46,144
13,753
13,596
13,911


Edinburgh
27,163
306
150,904
9,064
9,064
9,064


Eilean Siar
17,031
1,613
39,168
9,433
9,433
9,433


Falkirk
20,807
1,293
62,546
 
 
 


Fife
18,650
23
92,209
17,459
15,450
19,467


Glasgow
26,499
825
85,320
13,447
10,996
15,898


Highland
19,557
801
54,972
 
 
 


Inverclyde
21,578
1,245
53,466
 
 
 


Midlothian
26,051
5,660
75,511
 
 
 


Moray
20,139
4,634
45,886
 
 
 


North Ayrshire
18,730
176
55,489
 
 
 


North Lanarkshire
21,132
94
56,753
18,032
8,137
34,340


Orkney
19,082
4,840
42,945
 
 
 


Perth and Kinross
21,774
4,135
53,971
14,206
12,612
15,898


Renfrewshire
23,313
589
45,776
10,356
8,111
14,022


Scottish Borders
18,957
1,581
50,380
8,528
8,528
8,528


Shetland
23,192
3,574
52,622
24,537
14,008
32,548


South Ayrshire
21,504
1,602
73,413
 
 
 


South Lanarkshire
22,220
1,086
52,823
14,711
12,676
20,032


Stirling
23,257
1,740
57,233
14,626
13,354
15,898


West Dunbartonshire
24,631
2,618
53,076
 
 
 


West Lothian
20,366
33
57,242
 
 
 



  Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics branch

  Notes:

  - For this analysis, the amount of each discount was converted to 2004 prices on the basis of changes in the retail prices index between the purchase date and 2004.

  - Cases where no discount was granted have been excluded from the data.

  - Not applicable cells occur where no sales have taken place.

  - Modernised right to buy sales were introduced in 30 September 2002 and data collected separately for these sales from 2003 quarter 2 onwards.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether owners who become tenants of registered social landlords through the Mortgage to Rent scheme can thereafter exercise the right to buy and, if so, how many times this right has been exercised.

Malcolm Chisholm: Successful applicants under the Mortgage to Rent scheme, established in February 2003, are granted the Scottish Secure Tenancy which confers the right to buy under modernised terms. The earliest that anyone assisted under the Mortgage to Rent scheme would be able to exercise their right to buy would be after they have served the five-year qualifying period, i.e. in February 2008.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the repeal of section 54 of the Housing Act 1988 will come into force.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her reply is as follows:

  The repeal of Section 54 of the Housing Act 1988 will come into force on 31 March 2005.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the repeal of section 54 of the Housing Act 1988, what arrangements will be put in place to mitigate the financial effect on any organisations, including housing co-operatives, that remain subject to an assessment for corporation tax.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her reply is as follows:

  Discussions are continuing with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations about measures to mitigate any effects arising from the withdrawal of section 54 of the Housing Act 1988. The current intention is that any new measures will be in place in time for the year ending 31 March 2006.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the number of CCTV cameras that were installed during each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Hugh Henry: Information is held centrally on CCTV cameras funded through the CCTV and Make Our Communities Safer Challenge Competitions which ran consecutively over a six year period ending in March 2002. We awarded funding of £10.3 million through these competitions for the installation of 2,102 cameras as shown in the following table.

  

Year
Number of Cameras


1996-97
341


1997-98
383


1998-99
208


1999-2000
226


2000-01
720


2001-02
224

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13055 by Hugh Henry on 24 January 2005, how many people were sentenced to custody as a result of convictions for carrying a knife in (a) Scotland, (b) Aberdeen, (c) Dundee, (d) Edinburgh, (e) Glasgow and (f) Stirling in each year since 1997.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the table.

  Custodial convictions in Scottish Courts for handling an offensive weapon1, by selected area, 1997 to 2002

  

Area
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
20023


Possession of an offensive weapon2
 
 
 
 
 
 


Aberdeen 
2
3
5
4
9
3


Dundee 
10
13
14
7
6
8


Edinburgh 
13
19
18
19
17
19


Glasgow 
99
85
112
121
140
123


Stirling 
2
2
-
-
1
2


Scotland
213
207
214
254
292
257


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 


Aberdeen 
2
1
6
1
8
5


Dundee 
7
14
8
10
17
12


Edinburgh 
38
35
28
29
32
38


Glasgow 
138
115
134
155
128
178


Stirling 
6
2
1
-
3
2


Scotland
330
298
296
348
359
417


Total
 


Aberdeen 
4
4
11
5
17
8


Dundee 
17
27
22
17
23
20


Edinburgh 
61
54
46
48
49
57


Glasgow 
237
200
246
276
268
301


Stirling 
8
4
1
-
4
4


Scotland
543
505
510
602
651
674



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Knives cannot be identified separately from other types of offensive weapon in the data held for this crime category.

  3. Figures may be underestimates due to time taken to record details of some court proceedings.

Light Pollution

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation on light pollution.

Lewis Macdonald: We intend to propose an extension of the statutory nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to include light pollution when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.

NHS Funding

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding it allocated to each NHS board specifically targeted to assist them in the delivery of health services for refugees and asylum seekers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: No additional funding has been allocated to NHS boards to assist in the delivery of health services for refugees and asylum seekers. Funds are allocated to NHS boards to meet the healthcare needs of their resident populations. It is for each NHS board to deliver services to its resident population, including refugees and asylum seekers, from these funds.

  As part of the NHS Scotland’s Fair for All programme, NHS boards are specifically required to ensure that the services they provide are equipped to deal with the needs of ethnic minority communities, including refugees and asylum seekers. A National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minority Health has been established with annual core funding of £330,000 to support the development of frontline services. A further £86,550 has been provided in the current year to allow the centre to develop a programme which specifically addresses inequalities in health provision to asylum seekers and refugees.

Ophthalmic Services

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what code of practice is in place to regulate privately-run opticians.

Mr Andy Kerr: All opticians must be registered with the General Optical Council to practice in the UK. They must therefore meet the registration requirements and comply with the code of practice of the General Optical Council.

  Dispensing opticians and optometrists must also comply with their Code of Conduct, which states that "patients must be able to trust Dispensing Opticians and Optometrists with their wellbeing" and that practitioners "have a duty to maintain a good standard of practice and care and to show respect for all aspects of human life".

Planning

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for housing have been received in each year since 1999 and, of these, how many, and what percentage of, applications was (a) accepted and (b) rejected by each local authority.

Johann Lamont: Tables based on figures provided by planning authorities showing a breakdown of this information have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35167).

  These tables indicate the total number of applications received, approved and refused by planning authorities for all housing developments. Data on the number of houses per application is not held centrally and therefore is not included in the tables.

Planning

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals against planning decisions were (a) accepted and (b) rejected in each year since 1999, shown also as a percentage of total applications received.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information provided in the following table details the total number of planning applications received by planning authorities in the financial years since 1999. The actual number of planning permission appeals determined by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit (SEIRU) is only around 1-2% of applications received. Of these, the number of appeals accepted (successful) is around one-third with the number of appeals rejected (unsuccessful) around two thirds in each of the last five financial years.

  

Year
Planning Applications Received
Planning Permission Appeals Accepted
% of Total Planning Applications Received
Planning Permission Appeals Rejected
% of Total Planning Applications Received


1999-2000
42,651
197
0.46
366
0.86


2000-2001
40,925
214
0.52
399
0.97


2001-02
44,269
214
0.48
350
0.79


2002-03
47,228
228
0.48
423
0.90


2003-04
51,330
242
0.47
451
0.88

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff vacancies there have been and what the level of staff sickness has been at HM Prison Aberdeen in each of the last 12 months, broken down by category of employee.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The available information for HM Prison Aberdeen in 2003-04 is as set out in the following table:

  



Pay Band
Staff Turnover Number in Each Pay Band
Recorded Number of Days Absence by Pay Band


A
1
11


B
1
9


C
2
637


C+
8
561


D
1
149


D+
2
1,697


E
1
42


E+
0
64


F
0
3


G
0
0


H
0
0

Prison Service

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of fine defaulters given a custodial sentence served another custodial sentence concurrently in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The available information is given in the following table.

  Total fine default receptions and percentage with an existing custodial sentence by relationship, 1999-2003

  

 
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Number of fine default receptions
8,565
7,703
7,216
7,074
6,758


Percentage with no existing custodial sentence
81
80
79
81
79


Percentage consecutive to existing custodial sentence
2
1
1
1
1


Percentage Concurrent or part concurrent to existing custodial sentence
18
18
20
18
20



  Note: 1. Due to rounding of figures some percentage totals may not add to 100.

Research

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to attract energy-related commercial research and development projects to Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: Through the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) we are working in partnership with academia and industry to help promote and accelerate the development of a range of renewable energy technologies. FREDS plans to consider Scotland’s research and development potential specifically, and its capability to help contribute to the development of our renewable energy opportunities.

  We contributed £2.125 million towards the capital costs of establishing the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, which is promoting and enabling the research and development of marine technologies. We are also investing, through Scottish Enterprise, £150 million over 10 years in the Energy Intermediary Technology Institute in Aberdeen, which will focus on research and development for emerging and innovative technologies. Furthermore, with the support of the Executive, the Carbon Trust funds the research and development of innovative low carbon technologies.

Roads

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of its climate change commitments, it will call for a moratorium on all motorway construction in order to encourage a reduction in car use.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is committed to closing the gaps in the motorway network through a programme of targeted investment to support Scotland’s economy. All schemes are assessed against our five main transport objectives of environmental impact, safety, economy, accessibility and integration. These projects are part of our commitment to significantly increase investment in transport. We are, however, determined to increase the share of transport spending on public transport improvements. Spending on public transport is due to grow to 70% of the total transport budget.

Roads

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that local residents have been fully consulted on the construction of the M74 northern extension and the effect that the road will have on nearby communities.

Nicol Stephen: Yes.

Roads

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has set aside for construction of the M74 northern extension.

Nicol Stephen: The estimated capital cost of the M74 Completion Scheme remains at between £375 million and £500 million. The funding allocated to the Transport Portfolio for future spending years was published in the Draft Budget 2005-06, a copy of which is available in the Parliaments Reference centre (Bib. number 34133). These plans include an allowance for the M74.

  The key major transport infrastructure projects and commitments currently being supported by the Scottish Executive were illustrated in the transport White Paper, Scotland’s Transport Future, published on 16 June 2004.

Roads

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns that companies tendering for contracts in relation to the M74 northern extension may incur higher costs due to protest and direct action.

Nicol Stephen: We would take a view on all relevant risks throughout the development and construction of all major transport projects.

Scottish Executive Finance

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how rationalisation of the 21 sources of funding identified in the Scottish Social Services Council report Funding for Training, published in August 2004, will be achieved.

Euan Robson: This report was considered by the National Workforce Group (NWG). The Education, Training and Development Working Group, as a sub group of the NWG, used these reports to inform development of the draft Strategy for the Development of the Social Services Workforce  which was issued for consultation on 17 December 2004 which sets out the development of the social service workforce over the next five years and beyond.

  The draft strategy identifies various action points including looking at how we can streamline and simplify diverse funding streams. Following consultation, the strategy will be revised to take account of comments received and action will be progressed on this basis.

Scottish Executive Finance

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific training grant funding will be awarded in 2008-09.

Euan Robson: This information is not available. The spending review for this period will be carried out in 2006.

Scottish Executive Ministers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what organised meetings ministers hold with members of parliamentary committees outwith scheduled committee meetings.

Ms Margaret Curran: Ministers maintain regular contact with committee members.

Social Work

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond formally to the Scottish Social Services Council reports Implementation of Phase One Qualification Criteria and Funding for Training, published in August 2004.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive will not be responding formally to the Scottish Social Services Council reports Implementation of Phase One Qualification Criteria and Funding for Training. However, both working groups had representation from the Scottish Executive in their membership. The recommendations of both reports are reflected in the draft National Strategy for the Development of the Social Services report now out for consultation.

Social Work

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any funds, in addition to the 21 sources identified in the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) report Funding for Training, published in August 2004, will be allocated to meet training needs of social work and social care staff and, if so, how these funds will be targeted.

Euan Robson: Local Government Finance Settlement to 2007-08: Community Care  circular issued in December 2004 announced increased funding to the voluntary sector care providers from £10.3 million to £13.6 million. This increased funding is to ensure there is provision for the increase in the quality of service and workforce required to meet the SSSC registration requirements. An additional £10 million has also been added to the current allocation of £17 million provided to upskill the adult services workforce.

  In November 2004 we announced that the early years and childcare workforce will receive £12 million over two years to help staff obtain formal childcare qualifications to meet the SSSC standards for registration.

  European Structural Funding (ESF) funding has also been secured to commence in 2005 and will be aimed at Small and Medium enterprises (SME’s) in the private and voluntary sector. This funding will be match funded by the Scottish Executive.

  An additional £600,000 has also been allocated to the Section 9 funding to national voluntary organisations.

Speech and Language Therapy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are sufficient speech and language therapists to meet the level of demand.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for local health systems, in partnership with local authorities, to determine local needs. However, in the period 1999-2004, there has been an 18.9% growth in the number of speech and language therapists in NHSScotland. The Scottish Executive is also committed, through the Partnership Agreement commitment, to further increase the overall numbers of allied health professionals, including speech and language therapists by 1,500 by 2007.

Speech and Language Therapy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to increase the number of speech and language therapists in order to provide the appropriate treatment and support as required by the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has allocated funding of £3 million in 2004-05 and in 2005-06 to NHS boards to assist with the preparation for NHS obligations under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. All NHS boards have been asked to draw up joint local plans with their local authority partners that identify priorities to support implementation of the act. These plans must show evidence of service development and sustainability of therapy services, including speech and language services. The funds provided will enable NHS boards to explore areas of activity including the development of workforce plans, skill mix, career structures, the use of support workers, the identification of training opportunities for parents and teaching staff in providing support as well as the development of new ways of working and service redesign.

  The Scottish Executive is also committed, through the Partnership Agreement commitment, to increase the overall numbers of allied health professionals, including speech and language therapists, by 1,500 by 2007. There are also a number of initiatives and investment flowing from the AHP Strategy to retain the existing workforce including a return to practice initiative and the development of alternative routes to state registration.

Speech and language Therapy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how speech, language or communication impairment is identified in children under five.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is the responsibility of local health systems and local authorities to work in partnership to ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place for the identification of children with communication impairment.

  Health visitors, speech and language therapists and nursery school teachers may identify children with communication difficulties through their routine contact with families. There is an open referral system for speech and language therapy so anyone, including parents, can refer directly to their local speech and language therapy department for assessment.

Traffic

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment’s report Trunk Roads and the Generation of Traffic , published in December 1994, which states that increased road building encourages car use.

Nicol Stephen: The Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment’s report Trunk Roads and the Generation of Traffic, published in December 1994, concluded that improved trunk roads and motorways can cause an increase in traffic depending on the nature and characteristics of the road. As a result of its recommendations, traffic modelling techniques used by the Scottish Executive have been refined and updated.

Voluntary Sector

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that voluntary providers of care secure adequate resources for training of staff.

Euan Robson: Scottish ministers are committed to improving the quality of social care services provided and to raise the level of education and training available to staff working in the sector. Ministers recognise the important role the voluntary and independent sector play in the provision of social care services and the support that the sector as a whole requires to meet the requirements of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. There are many influences on workforce development which need to be taken account of in partnership with providers, planners and managers of services and significant additional funding has been made available.

  The Education, Training and Development Working Group, as a sub group of the National Workforce Group, developed the draft Strategy for the Development of the Social Services Workforce which was issued for consultation on 17 December 2004 which sets out the development of the social service workforce over the next five years and beyond.

  The draft strategy identifies various action points including looking at how we can streamline and simplify diverse funding streams. Following consultation, the strategy will be revised to take account of comments received and action will be progressed on this basis.